Surprise Return
by Oni Mayame
Summary: A little over a year after defeating Aizen Sosuke, Ulquiorra Chiffer appears in front of Karakura High School. Orihime spots him first and warns Ichigo not to do anything rash.
1. He's Back

**Prologue**

 **Orihime's POV**

I thought he dissapeared that day. I watched him turn to dust. I didn't realize that I'd miss him this much. He was my kidnapper, and he's supposed to be dead, so... why is he here, standing in front of my school? This isn't good, It's been a full year, I'd forgotten all about him. What am I going to do?

 **Chapter I: He's Back?**

 **Normal POV**

Orihime stands in chock as she sees the supposed dead Espada standing outside her school's court yard. She felt worried, Ichigo was sure to see him there and start a fight and she knew a fight between them could destroy the sity. She walks back toward the school building and bumped into the orange headed Soul Reaper.

Ichigo looked down at the brunett girl confused, "Are you alright Inoue?"

"Yeah! I-I'm fine!" She smiled, "I just forgot my books in the classroom. Come help me find them." Without waiting for a response, she grabs Ichigo's hand and runs back into the school.

"Inoue!?" Ichigo yells.

She managed to get him halfway down the main hallway until he pulled out of his grasp. She turns to look at him.

"Inoue, what's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost." He asks worriedly.

"N-Nothing! I just... don't feel very well..." Ichigo hears the lie in her voice.

"I'm going home Inoue. I'll text Arisawa for you." He turns away from her.

"Kurosaki-Kun!" He turns back to her, "Please, don't do anything dangerous. You're... you're loosing your power. Just stay safe..."

Ichigo looked confused at her statement, but he knew she was right

 _She'd only say something like that if there was something or someone dangerous were near..._

All at once the energy hits him, he starts shaking. Orihime sees his reaction to the sudden burst of energy. "K-Kurosaki-kun..?"

"N-No way... He's alive..? I thought, I thought he died..."

"Kurosaki-kun, I know you're upset, but try to calm down! he hasn't hurt anyone yet, and he's not half as strong as he was at his weakest!"

" That doesn't matter!" He looks at the overly nice girl standing next to him.

"Then what does..?" Ishida Uryu had snuck up on the two of them.

"Ishida-san?" Orihime looks at the new conversationalist

"Well Kurosaki?"

"He could hurt Orihime again!" Orihime takes a step back at his sudden statment.

"Inoue-san, go home, and be careful, I'll take care of Kurosaki." She looked at the two worriedly but complied. She ran out into the courtyard and past the Espada, hopping she blended in with the rest of the students. Her hopes were crushed when someone's hand grabbed her wrist. She gasps and turns around to look at who grabbed her. Her friend Tatsuki looked at her worriedly.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine! You just surprised me that's all!" She said with a smile. " Do you want to come over today Tatsuki?"

"I would but I have to train for the next tournement that's coming up."

"Oh, of course... I'll see you tomorrow then bye-bye!" Orihime says cheerfully and starts on her way home.

On her way home she keeps looking behind her back. She felt like someone was following her. Orihime stopped behind a small wall to see if her suspicions were right. She didn't see anyone until a few minutes later when Ulquiorra came around the corner.


	2. Notice

**Chapter II: Notice**  
 **"Normal POV**  
She slowly steps out of the cover of the wall. Ulquiorra looks at the brunet teenager.

"Hello woman."

"I-I watched you... die..." She looks at him, not scared, but worried.

"Are you afraid?" He looks at the woman and reaches out to her.

"What? How are you alive?"

"Are you afraid of me?" He lowers his hand.

"No, I'm not. I'm just confused"

"I see." He looks over her with emotionless eyes. " And I also see that Kurosaki Ichigo is still alive." Orihime's heart sank.

"What are you going to do to him?!" She asks looking up at the emotionless man.

"I'm not going to do anything at the moment. I'm buying time until the strike."

"'The Strike'? What do you mean? And how are you alive?"

"Do you know how Hollows die?"

"No... I don't."

"Hollows are to be slain by a Zanpacto, but Kurosaki didn't finish the job. I was dead, for a while, but I regenerated. it took a little over a year."

"That's amazing! I-I mean..."

"I heard Lord Aizen... I have one last task before my existance is worth nothing. That is to kill Kurosaki Ichigo."

Orihime didn't think her heart could sink and further but it did. She learned that she loved both of the men when she saw Ulquiorra outside the courtyard, and when she saw Ichigo afraid and powerless.

She was relived to see Ulquiorra alive, but worried more than ever for Ichigo. She looked up at the newly regenerated arrancar and gave him a sad smile.

"What's that expression for woman?"

"I'm confused."

"'Confused?'"

"Why were you following me?"

Ulquiorra didn't say anything to the woman before him. Orihime couldn't read the expression on his face. He turns around to leave before Orihime the sleeve of his jacket.

"My name... It's not, 'girl', 'human', or 'woman'..."

"Your point?"

"It's, Inoue Orihime."


	3. Choices

**Chapter III: Choices**  
 **Normal POV**  
Ichigo looked at the worn down piece of wood that was his Soul Pass. He ran through his last fight with the immortal Aizen Sosuke. That day he lost everything. His power was lessening every second. He could feel it leaving him every minute. He feels helpless even more than usual now that Ulquiorra was in Karakura Town, his town. The town where his friends and family lived, and he can't do anything to help protect them.

He bangs his fist on his desk in rage, "Damnit!" He growls under his breath, "Damnit, damnit, damnit! I have to do something! Everyone's in trouble! Inoue, Ishida, Chad, Yuzu, Karin, and Dad..." Knocks from his door interrupted his train of thought.

"Ichigo! Dinner is ready!" Yuzu called from the hallway.

"I-I'm not hungry..."

"But Ichi-"

"Leave it outside..." He interrupted the young girl.

He heard her walk away. He felt bad for snapping at her, but he needed time to think. Ichigo held his head over his desk. He had talked to Urahara Kisuke about his powers and he only got an 'I'm sorry there's nothing I can do to help' response from the old shopkeeper. He sighs and leans back in his chair still holding his Soul Pass. He put his free hand over the center of his chest, remembering the day he first received his powers from Kuchiki Rukia.

"Stop it... I cant keep focusing on things I can't change." He moves to his bed and lays down. Right when he hits the fabric, fast and urgent knocks sound from his bedroom

door.

"Ichigo open the door now!" Ichigo sighs as his father bangs on the door.

"Leave me alone! I'm going to sleep!"

"Now Ichigo!" Reluctantly, the teenager gets up and opens the door. Isshin looks at his son with a serious but worried look. " Talk to me son."

" What is there to talk about?"

"One: Why you're being snippy towards your sister and two: Why you're so depressed."

 ** _Should've known... he may act like an idiot, but he knows how to read people..._**

"Sorry..." Ichigo puts the Soul Pass in his pocket, "I just need time to study for this test that's tomorrow."

"Don't lie to me." Isshin had Ichigo move over to the bed as he sits in the desk chair to face him. "Talk to me..."

Ichigo didn't respond and avoided eye contact with his father.

"Ichigo-"

"I can't help anyone..." Isshin looked at his son confused, " I'm loosing without even doing anything."

"Then do something about it!"

Ichigo lifts up his head to look at his abnormally serious father.

"Of course you're going to lose if you do nothing."

"I'm too-"

'Too weak'? That hasn't stopped you before has it?!" That got Ichigo's attention real quick. " Just find a way to get stronger."

"I can't fight him as a human or a Soul Reaper. I can't get stronger with my spiritual pressure leaving me."

"Did you go to Urahara?"

"He said that he can't do anything to help me..."

"You have two choices... You can either give up, or you try."

"I-... How do you have so much faith in me?"

"You Idiot, you're my son! That's how!"

Ichigo stared at his father with shock for a moment before turning away and giving a small, sad smile.

"You're right Dad... Thanks. I've made up my mind. I'm going to try and get stronger!"


	4. Two Types of Strength

**Chapter IV: Two Types of Strength**

 **Normal POV**

Ichigo walks over to Urahara's Shop and knocks on the door. After getting no answer he opens the door and goes inside. "Oi, Hat n' Clogs, you here?" He shouted still getting no answer, "Hey! Old man!"

Kisuke was no where to be seen. Ichigo walks out to think, pacing. He continues to pace as a short black cat with piercing yellow eyes enters his field of vision. He looks at the cat as it goes into the shop.

"Shihoin? Where's Urahara?"

"He's not dead if that's what you're worried about..." She says in a deep voice.

"Then where-"

"In the Soul's Society" She cuts in.

"Damn it... I wanted to train..."

"You'll just drain the last of your power..."

"Ulquiorra is here." He said matter-of-factly.

"I know, I can feel his Spiritual pressure."

Ichigo looked at the cat before him. Kisuke wasn't going to help him, and he knew Yoruichi wasn't going to let him drain the rest of his power. He needed to do something to get stronger though. His overprotective behavior wasn't going to let a threat just walk around his town. He looked at Yoruichi, nodded and then left. He had to find a different way to get his power back. He looked at his watch to check the time. It was time for him to go to his job. He worked for a small company that did odd jobs around town, mowing lawns or cleaning garages. He sighs and heads towards the work office, not really wanting to work.

Ichigo lays down on his bed thinking over his day. "Man... what the hell... I'm so sick of this crap. All these weird jobs..." He pulls up the cover's and falls asleep.


	5. In Waiting and In Hiding

Chapter V: In Waiting and In Hiding

Ulquiorra walks around the town in search of anyone suspicious. No one around the area could see him for they had weak spiritual pressure, so he could look around as much as he pleased. He was following Ichigo from a very far distance. Ichigo's spirit energy was gone at this point and couldn't be sensed but Ulquiorra knew he was with friends and he could sense them. Keigo and Mizuiro had enough energy to be traced even though they were both really low levels. He felt them stop and another relatively strong spiritual pressure going at them. Ulquiorra used Sonido to get closer and to see what was happening.

He looked down to see a man in purple running away with a bag and another running after him. Ichigo gave Keigo his bag and joined in the chase, jumping the man in purple. The man in purple pulled a knife on Ichigo but failed in striking when Ichigo caught his fist and knocked him out-cold. The orange-headed teenager grabbed the bad in question and gave it back to the man. Ichigo and the man seemed to be trading a few words before the group of high-schoolers continued on their way too the school building.

The high spirit energy Ulquiorra had sensed was from the man that had lost the bag. He saw the man smirk at the retreating Ichigo and then saw a soul pass fall out of the partially opened bag. Ulquiorra narrowed his emotionless eyes and retreated from the scene before he was discovered by the suspicious man. Now that he was that close to Ichigo he could feel the slightest bit of energy from him but he just shrugged it off as nothing. He wanted to find out who this man that was following Ichigo was but it was too dangerous to follow, he needed to stay out of sight. The only reason he wasn't caught yet was because he was keeping his power down to that of the lowest level as possible, that of a lowest ranked Soul Reaper in Squad Four.

He watched the man leave the area but didn't follow. He kept his focus on Ichigo for now, that's what he was ordered to do anyway. He's been waiting for orders from Aizen of when he was to take Ichigo out, but they haven't been sent out yet. He was wondering if they would ever come or if he had just missed them.

 _No I didn't miss any orders... I've been on alert the whole time._

Movement in the corner of his vision caught his attention. He looked at what it was and it turned out to be Orihime and her human friend, Tatsuki. He watched the brunet woman walk in the same direction as Ichigo. Orihime looked around suddenly and Ulquiorra jumped out of her line of sight. Why was he doing this? He didn't and couldn't feel anything for the woman or anyone. This must be the "confusion" the girl was talking about. He didn't understand why he was hiding from her, it would be best to keep her on edge it would worry Ichigo as well. Him taking risks like he did a year ago, he would surely kill himself.

 _Damn woman..._

He went to an abandoned barn on the outskirts of Karakura Town, but still close enough to were he could sense all the strong energys that live there. He was hiding out there, waiting for "The Strike".


	6. What to Do

Chapter VI: What To Do?

Orihime felt like she was being watched and turned around quickly. She thought she felt Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure but it disappeared quickly. She shrugged and kept up with Tatsuki. Feeling Ulquiorra made her uneasy, she knew that he must have been watching Ichigo. Ichigo was always there for Orihime, she didn't know what to do to help him, and she wanted to but at the same time she didn't want anything to happen to Ulquiorra. She watches the ground as she walks.

"Hey~ Earth to Orihime!"

She snaps out of her thoughts to Tatsuki waving her hand in front of her face. "Huh? Oh Sorry! Was I spacing out?"

"As always... geez Orihime, you need to stop thinking about Ichigo so much..." She says jokingly.

"W-what?!"

"You heard me!" She laughs and runs into the school courtyard.

Orihime finds Tatsuki next to Ichigo talking to him about their jobs. She walks over to them only to have Ichigo pushed into her.

"The hell Arisawa!" Ichigo yells at the tall black haired girl.

"Tatsuki!?" She looks at her childhood friend in shock. Ichigo holds Orihime in his arms making sure that she doesn't fall as Tatsuki just laughs.

"Man! Hahah! You should see your face Kurosaki!" She laughs at the two.

"K-Kurosaki?" Orihime says quietly still in Ichigo's arms. Ichigo looks at her and quickly lets go of the woman, but making sure she didn't fall. Orihime looks at Ichigo and Tatsuki in shock, then looks at the ground embarrassed. She runs pass her two classmates and into the school. She sits at her desk quietly as she stares out the window. She replayed what happened in her head multiple times until she realized, she felt something weird when she was that close to Ichigo. She thought deeper and realized, she felt spiritual pressure from Ichigo. She looked at the door as her classmates file in, Ichigo and Tatsuki file in along with them. Orihime looks at Ichigo and again feels the spiritual pressure, although weak it was still noticeable. He looks at her and she quickly looks away.

* * *

A.N: Hey Guys I'd just like to take a moment and thank everyone for the views, and I hope you all are enjoying the story.

~Oni Mayame


	7. Realization

**Realization**

 **A.N: Hey guys, sorry for the late update. My internet went out and family has gotten in the way of my writing. I hope this chapter makes up for it** **.**

Ichigo caught Orihime's eye before she turned away from him, still bright red from the actions beforehand. He looks over to Tatsuki and she has her nose in a manga, avoiding the awkward eye contact. Ichigo sighed quietly and waited for class to officially start. He laid his head on his books and arms. He remained awake as the teacher called attendance, mockingly talking about those who are absent. He slowly fell asleep as she started lecturing the class about history.

 _ **"Hey King…"**_

He quickly woke up with a fright. His sudden movement caught the teacher's attention, she stopped for a moment then continued the lecture. Orihime's attention was also caught when she noticed Ichigo's energy seem to be fighting itself. The orange haired teen stood up and left the class room in a hurry. Everyone in the class room turned and looked at the door as he left the room. Orihime stood up and left the room after him. The teacher just sighed and continued with class.

Ichigo stood outside pacing almost swearing to himself. He paced back and forth until Orihime shows up with a worried look. She watched the former Shinigami pace with a worried, scared look. She felt sorry for him, she wanted to help but knew she couldn't. She turned around as she heard footsteps from behind her. Uryu had walked up behind her, he had felt Ichigo as well.

"Ishida…" She looked at him hoping he had answers to give.

"I know… this shouldn't be possible, he gave it all up when he used that attack against Aizen." He responded with worry.

"He just got up and left the class room." She explained quietly.

"Hey Kurosaki!" Uryu shouted to the pacing teenager.

Ichigo froze in his place and looked at the two observers. He sighed quietly and proceeded forward toward his friends. "Hey Inoue… Ishida."

"Kurosaki, we have to talk to you..." Ishida started, "Your, spiritual pressure seems to be returning."

"Huh?... I didn't… really start noticing until just recently. My – The… Hollow is um… also back…" Ichigo said hesitantly. Ichigo knew that he'd be pushed for answers later if he didn't say anything about it now.

"Kurosaki you need to go to Urahara…" Uryu suggested.

"What's the point? He's just gonna want to… study me I know it. In some ways the bastard is creepier than that Kurosuchi captain."

"I know you've got trust issues with the guy, but he's the best help we have in the world of the living."

"Kurosaki!" Orihime interrupted.

"Hm? What wrong Inoue?" He looked at the brunet girl.

"Uh… are you going to be okay?" She asked quietly, "I mean… Ulquiorra is back… Please don't try to fight him… he's still too strong for any of us."

"Inoue… If, I can fight… I'm going too." He doesn't look at her.

A look of disappointment appears on Orihime's face. She was expecting that but she didn't know it'd hurt that badly. She didn't want to lose Ichigo again, it hurt so badly not being able to do anything for him. She knew she couldn't help him then and she can't now. She can't even prevent him from fighting Ulquiorra again. The only thing she could do at this moment was hope. Hope that Ichigo would come back alive, or that no one would die.


	8. Encounter (One Week)

"Yes, and you're going too…" A new voice entered the conversation, "Kurosaki, you have one week, until The Strike will take place."

The group turned around to see Ulquiorra standing on top of corridor roof. Orihime took a few steps backward bumping into Ichigo.

"I see you're regaining your energy, but it isn't a human's or a Soul Reaper's…" Ulquiorra stated bluntly, "A hollow's."

"What do you want? If you're after Inoue again, it's not happening." Ichigo snapped a reply as he stepped forward, in front of the girl. Ulquiorra looked at the former Soul Reaper, without a response. Orihime looked at the two men before her not saying anything. "Got nothin' to say?! What have you gained 'feelings' or something? If that's the case then I was right at that time, 'you're becoming more human'."

"And you're becoming more of a hollow." Ulquiorra said, not denying Ichigo's comment. Ichigo glares at the former arrancar, taking a couple more steps forward. Ulquiorra lowers himself down to the ground. The spiritual pressure from the two of them started shaking the air around them. Orihime noticing this ran in between the two men.

"Stop it! Don't fight, not here!"

"Inoue! What are you-"

"Stopping the school from being destroyed!"

Ulquiorra looked at the woman before him and took a step back from the two teenagers. Orihime turned from Ichigo to look at Ulquiorra, who in turn avoided eye contact. Ichigo looked at Ulquiorra confused, _So he is gaining emotion,_ he thought quietly.

"Fine." Ichigo says bluntly, "One week?"

"Yes. The week you will die." Ulquiorra replies and disappears.

Ichigo glared at where the pale man used to be and turned around to walk back to the classroom. Uryu and Orihime exchanged worried looks before following his lead and went back to class themselves. Ichigo sat at his desk and ignored the lecture and though of what was to come in the next week. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card he had gotten a few nights earlier.

 _ **Xcution**_

Ichigo muttered the name to himself, _Maybe I'll go… I guess it couldn't hurt any._ He decided that he'd go that night. He sat through the rest of the school day with boredom.

Orihime sat at home running through the day's activities. She remembered Ichigo's words about protecting her, and how Ulquiorra didn't say anything when Ichigo said that he was, "becoming more human." He normally had a comeback for everything. She paced around her small apartment before stopping in front of her brother's picture. She remembered how Ichigo saved her when her brother's hollow was out of control.

"Sora… you would help me out wouldn't you?" She sighed and said good night to her brother and went to her room too think. She lays down in bed and remembers the emotion that had come from Ulquiorra on his "last night", she had felt love and despair from the arrancar. She just felt like a burden to Ichigo, he had always saved her, she couldn't save him. All she ever did was play support, healing her friends was a great gift, but that was all she could do. "Ulquiorra… Ichigo..? What should I do?"

 **A.N: Hey guys thanks for sticking with me! Now I've got a question for you guys; which way do you think the story should go? Ichihime, or Ulquihime?**

 **Thanks I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	9. Haunting Thoughts

**A.N: Woo~ Guys sorry about how long I've been MIA. No one cares or wants to hear about my** _ **personal problems but that's why I've been gone for so long. I hope to god that this makes up for it,**_ **now I've tallied up the votes and you'll see in the near future about what had won in terms of relationships. (Sorry to those who have wished otherwise.) Read on.**

 **Thoughts on the Matter**

Sitting up in the old building, Ulquiorra went through Aizen's orders again and again, he said to kill Ichigo. He was unconsciously trying to find some sort of loophole to save Orihime grief, he had to do his job. He found himself confused at the thought of that woman's feelings. Why should he care? He's not even human, he shouldn't have feelings for anything, much less Orihime. He stood up and paced around the room. He stopped in the center of the room and looked through the hole that was in the roof. Moon light filtered through the wounded roof making the dust in the air visible. He looked over to his weapon that he'd left on the floor, Murciélago, He felt it was even stronger than before. He believed he could kill Ichigo this time, he knew the woman would get in the way. He needed to find a way around this, these… feelings, they were discouraging his better judgement of the situation. He had to get rid of them, somehow.

 _I_ _have to kill the source…_ He thought hesitantly. He jumped through the hole in the roof. He looked around his surroundings. He knew what he had to do but something was stopping him from going to kill her. He couldn't understand the feelings that where appearing in his mind.

Orihime was asleep in her bed when thunder cracked outside. Rain had started falling a few minutes before she had fallen asleep. Her hair was laid out on the floor as she slept. Another crack from thunder sounded louder than the last, waking up the woman. Sitting up she walked to her window and looked out at the storm. She looked sadly at the rain, and went back to her bed. Sitting on the futon she listened to the storm, going through the day again.

"Ulquiorra…? Ichigo will get hurt… I can stop the fight, I have to somehow." She looks out the window before going back to sleep.

Thanks for waiting guys! Sorry this took only, like, FOREVER! Well thanks for being patient (Or yelling at your phone, "WHAT THE HELL IS TAKING SO LONG?!" I'll try and make the next chapter out sooner.


End file.
